it in this manner. Large trees, which are brought down the river by the inundations, are lodged upon the borders of the bank; but cannot be floated far upon the champaign, because obstructed by the growth of wood. Retaining their situation when the waters subside, they obstruct and detain the leaves and mud, which would else recoil into the stream, and thus, in process of time, form a bank higher than the interior flats.
Tuesday, June 7
There is something which impresses the mind with awe in the shade and silence of these vast forests. In deep solitude, alone with nature, we converse with God.
Our course through the woods was directed by marked trees. As yet there is no road cut.
There is but little underwood; but on the sides of the creeks, and near the river, {61} the papaw (Annona glabra,) the spice bush, or wild pimento (Laurus benzoin,) and the dogberry (cornus Florida,) grow in the greatest abundance.
We often stopped to admire the grapevines in these forests, which twine among and spread a canopy over the summits of the highest trees. Some are nine inches in diameter. They stretch from the root, which is often thirty and forty feet from the trunk of the tree, and ascend in a straight line to the first high limb, thirty and even sixty feet from the ground. How they have reached such an height, without the help of intermediate branches, is unaccountable.
On the upper beach of one of the islands we saw a large flock of Turkey Buzzards, attracted there by a dead carcass that had floated down the river, and lodged upon the bar. These birds did not fly upon our approach.
